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"To succeed in business, it is necessary to make others
see things as you see them."

-- John H. Patterson

Avoiding Sentence Errors, Part II

Pronoun-Antecedent Agreement

Wouldn't it be nice if everyone agreed on everything? Well, that might not be realistic, but at least the words in your writing can agree with each other. When using pronouns in your writing, always make sure that a pronoun agrees with its antecedent (the word the pronoun refers to) in number, person, and gender. The following is a handy guide to matching pronouns with antecedents.

If the gender of an antecedent is evident, use the appropriate pronoun--feminine (she, her), masculine (he, him), or neuter (it). If you use an indefinite noun or pronoun (person, everyone) as the antecedent, use the phrase his or her or she or he.

Everyone should bring his or her calendar to the meeting.

However, to avoid awkward phrasing, you can use a plural antecedent instead.

Staff members should bring their calendars to the meeting.

If two or more antecedents (one masculine and one feminine) are joined by or or nor, the pronouns should also be masculine and feminine.

Has Mark or Liza announced his or her travel plans?

The preceding tips are fromWrite for Business:
A Compact Guide to Writing
and Communicatingnow available for purchase at www.upwritepress.com

A Little
Something Extra

When writing a memo to a superior, use a positive voice and attitude. Don't say “Your instructions are confusing,” say “I would appreciate more information so I can complete the assignment.”

Coming in the May Issue: “Avoiding Sentence Errors, Part III:
Shifts in Construction”

Write for Business: A Compact Guide to Writing and Communicating
is available for purchase at 1-800-261-0637 ext. 10, or on the Web at www.upwritepress.com.